Once Upon a Time
by Mary Tyler-Moore
Summary: Poem of three brothers who sailed the ocean. They are on a quest to save their father's life


In a land where the moon

glimmered all the day long,

in a place where the fish

sang the exact same song,

in a sea where the stars

all dwelled beneath the waves,

that is where this story takes place.

The tale of three brothers

who sailed the ocean blue

with their nets and their hooks

in a big giant shoe.

These brothers were as close

as brothers can be.

In fact they were closer

than a dog and his flea.

They got along quite well.

They almost never fought.

They told each other secrets.

And shared all they got.

One day their old father

took quite a spill.

curing their father's pain

would take more than a pill.

The doctor inspected,

He examined and looked

He measured and listened.

And he searched every book.

But nothing could be done.

Not one cure could be found.

And just when hope was lost,

an idea came around.

When they were much younger,

around three, five, and six,

their grandmother told them

about an incredible fish

This fish it was magic,

but what made this fish great,

exceeded it's power,

exceeded even fate.

It could give you riches.

It could even freeze time.

But any old genie

could do that with a rhyme.

This copper sea creature

could turn back any clock,

making an eighty year-old

a sixteen year-old jock.

This was what was needed.

This fish with it's gift.

Not even a finger

would this fish have to lift.

Right there they decided

what they all had to do.

So, they took what they could,

and packed into the shoe.

They set sail in the shoe ,

their nets shining bright gold,

in hopes that they might just

find how not to grow old.

Like Dr. Heidigger,

the gentlemen set off.

Off on an adventure

At which the city scoffed.

The city-folk too grew up

hearing these rhymes,

and all of them knew it

was futile to try and change time

Each one of the stories,

they each started the same.

A person was in great need

Of their old age to be tamed

Or maybe they wanted

a child, or riches and fame,

or maybe they wanted true love

to take away some great pain.

No matter the cause,

the next thing to follow

would always be the wish

turning hollow.

Everyone even those

With good intentions to start

would suddenly have a

a drastic change of heart

They would become selfish.

They would think of themselves.

Even if loved ones were

forced to be shelved.

This was the fish's strength.

Showing true human nature.

And proving that humans,

Weren't good only danger.

"The risk is far to great!"

The city -folk would say

"Nothing, no nothing we

would rather turn gray.

The brothers wouldn't give in,

their father had to be saved.

So they continued their

journey in deep blue waves.

The journey would be long.

It would take many weeks.

But the three brothers

knew what they had to seek.

So they sailed through the day,

and they sailed through the night.

Searching and hunting for

that copper marine sprite.

Just when they were about

to throw in the towel,

that sparkling sea creature

came out with a scowl.

The brothers all pleaded.

They begged and they howled.

But the evil creature

Just looked at them and growled

"Maybe, just maybe

I'll give what seek.

But you must complete

3 tasks with in a week."

The brother's decided

they had nothing to lose.

And decided to do

whatever the fish might choose.

First the fish demanded

a star from the deep sea.

One that the brothers found

With great ease

Growing up fishing

In these enchanted waters

They knew how catch a star

without even a falter.

The fish was frustrated

with the speed of their charge.

And decided to come up

With something more large

They were to find a ship

in the depths of the sea.

To prove that they were there

bring back the captain's key.

The brothers were baffled.

They weren't sure what to do.

For even the best swimmer

Couldn't stay that long in the blue

But somehow they managed.

They found the ship quick.

It had been on a reef.

The fish had tried a trick.

Seeing their ease, the fish

Grew very wary.

So for the last task

was to find an enchanted fairy.

This fairy was tricky.

It knew how to hide.

And wasn't afraid

to tell a white lie.

This task was the hardest

one the brothers had faced.

But their father needed

his wish to be placed.

And so they looked and searched

Til' the came across it.

But try as they might

All it would do was spit.

They tried to convince it.

They even tried bribing.

But nothing, no nothing

Would get it out of hiding.

So they sat in despair.

They wept and they cried.

Until some sympathy

Started to rise.

The fish saw their pain,

and their kindness, and smarts.

His metal soul saw

they truly had heart.

They didn't have greed.

Their father was sick.

And so he used his charm

to heal him up quick.

As soon as the spell was cast,

The fish began to shake.

He began to wiggle and

soon he wasn't in the lake.

Instead of the copper and scales

There happened to be a man.

Just as normal as you or as me.

He looked at the brothers

with tears in his eyes.

And thanked them for

getting rid of the disguise.

When he was younger,

he had been quite mean.

He didn't care about others.

And was rather obscene.

So a witch had cursed him

Until he could find

A person who did not

have only themselves in mind.

And so for a hundred years,

he lived, searching in vain.

Until he gave up. Not even

his heart had remained.

But the brothers had saved him.

And their father was well.

All was right in the world.

And now there is this story to tell.


End file.
